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Ward Magic
Ward Magic is a type of structured holder magic that employs geomantic principles to interfere or alter the flow of ethernano in an area. Most wards are defensive in nature, and are used as a generalized defense against hostile or destructive magic, however this is not always the case. A clever use of wards can make for a devastating offense or clever trap; in fact, many guilds employ ward schema in order to imprison dangerous mages. Origin Wards are, at their most basic form, a daughter discipline of Geomancy. While Alchemy affects the geometry of the micro, and Artisan Magic affects the flow of ethernano in equipments, so does Ward Magic alter the flow of Ether on a larger, structural scale. Prehistoric cultures primarily used Ward Magic to influence seasonal trends or weather events. While ancient societies were often endangered by war or conflict, the most insidious threats came from the heavens themselves. An extended winter, a persistant drought, powerful flooding or gale storms... any of these calamities could sentence thousands of people to a slow withering death in starvation. The upheaval of a string of bad harvests could spell the doom of an empire. So, rather out of desperation than necessity, humanity began building monoliths of a vast scale. Columns, pyramids, henges, mounds, channels, roads... the mark of humanity's desire for control over the elements began to span the world. Using the alignment of stars, with the conflagaration of energies and ritual sacrifice, ancient cultures altered the alignment of regional magic to ensure bounty and prosperity. For a very long time, Ward Magic was the only method human mages could use to perform caster magics. Gathering and focusing the ethernano of a large area, these primitive mages could perform miracles the likes of which had never been seen. Some were raised up as rulers by the ignorant masses, and lived as divines in the mortal coil. The legacy of these god-kings covers Earth Land, in the form of countless decaying and collapsing temples and ruins. The discovery of Lacrima miniaturized magic- personalized it- so that the massive structures of old proved innefficient and slow in the face of ever more expedient forms of spellcasting. Today, few mages employ Ward Magic on any large scales. Some use it as a form of specialized home defense, or as an alarm system. Only Avalon has incorporated Ward Magic on a large scale, but being that its foundations were themselves ruins of a bygone age, it is likely this development is an exception and not a return to the old ways. Uses Ward magic alters the flow of ethernano using geomantic designs. Some of these designs are in the form of seals or sigils, but also take the form of large structures such as monoliths, towers or even natural fixtures such as mountains or seas. 'Ethernano Flow' *'Gathering: '''Ether, much like water, follows the path of least resistance from a high-energy state to a low one. Using Ward Magic, channels can be devised that allow areas of high ether concentration to be tapped for more constructive uses. Steam is useful for this process, since it can be readily supplied and easily recollected. The ethernano-enriched water can then be pumped directly from one location to another. Areas of low elevation also tend to have higher concentrations of ethernano. This makes valleys or bowl-shaped indentations a simple, but effective method method of directing ambient ethernano. *'Focusing:' All types of ordered magic have a minimum amount of magic required to initiate their effects. In caster mages, they can simply call upon their natural reserve to supply this ethernano. Most holder mages instead employ lacrima, sacrificing the power of their shards in order to power the effect. Ward magic focuses ethernano so that a mage can unleash its reserve to cause a magic. Most wards require a recharge time based on the scale and size of their effect; the larger the effect, the bigger the recharge time. Wards with weak effects can be used frequently, and wards with massive effects can take months or even years to fully recover. Pryamids are a useful structure for focusing ethernano flow into a point at their top. Alchemical engineers use pressurized containers to mimic deep Earth Land tectonics. The high pressure and temperature of these gadgets enables them to grow lacrima shards. Some master caster mages are capable of focusing ambient ethernano by themselves. *'Emitting:' Magical power must be emitted by a caster mage or holder magic device to begin their effects. All magical effects have unique emissions based on what they are designed to do, the skill of their caster, and the flaws or defects of the holder magic object employed. Lacrima is an invaluable material for ethernano emissions. By passing ether through lacrima, the crystal can act as a lens that reorganizes the flow to match its own internal geometries. A carefully cut lacrima gem can be used in place of the concentration and focus that a caster mage is normally required to supply. In this way, the gemstone mimics the frequency, amplitude and wavelength of the magic's "signal". In truth, any ordered configuration of geometry can be used. A tower of a particular design can emit area-wide magic effects to the extent of its range. Avalon is the best existing example of large-scale ward magic in Earth Land. Thanks to the configuration of its buildings and the layout of its streets, it networks ether flow into a large, controlled field. 'Barriers' *'Oppositional:' All types of magical emissions have an opposite signal. If a signal of the same amplitude but opposite frequency is emitted by a ward during a spell's casting, the destructive interference causes both emissions to collapse and the magic to fail. This type of ward is usually used against a specific kinds of destructive magic- such as spells that might unlock doors or a magic which causes flammables to ignite. Some masterful mages, such as Merrdoin Wilt or Vandheer Langrisser can discern the signal of an opponent's spell over the course of a battle using a combination of intellect and sensitive detection methods. Using this knowledge, they can devise oppositional wards to foil their opponent's magic. *'Divisive: Divisive wards unravel magic into its constituent parts. This is done primarily by creating vortexes between high and low ethernano concentrations. If a magical configuration is emitted, it ends up being pulled apart by the energy differential between a high magic zone and a low one. These are an effective form of generalized magical defenses, but have high energy costs. *'''Ablative: Ablative wards emit a high-amplitude, high-frequency signal that reinforces a specific geometry. Rather than trying to divide or oppose a magic, ablative wards use force-field like effects that resist other forces. Ablative protections are by far the most effective all-purpose defenses, but have extraordinary costs and are difficult to maintain.